


Richer by far with a satisfied mind

by robotwitch



Series: Once more for the ages [39]
Category: The Last of Us
Genre: Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Birthday, Family Fluff, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-06
Updated: 2019-11-06
Packaged: 2021-01-24 05:14:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,860
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21332830
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/robotwitch/pseuds/robotwitch
Summary: What do you get for the person who's impossible to get gifts for?
Relationships: Ellie & Joel (The Last of Us), Joel & Sarah (The Last of Us), Joel/Tess (The Last of Us), Maria/Tommy (The Last of Us)
Series: Once more for the ages [39]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1289426
Comments: 2
Kudos: 28





	Richer by far with a satisfied mind

**Author's Note:**

> This is a crossover of Naughty Dog properties, an alternate universe where there is no Cordyceps Brain Infection outbreak and everyone lives. Both the Uncharted and The Last of Us characters are here and very much alive, (eventually) brought together through Cassie and Ellie's chance meeting at summer camp.

Oddly enough, the matter is brought to Maria’s attention by overhearing Joel and Ellie shouting.

It’s only been two weeks since Ellie started school and she’s already begun procrastinating on her assignments, so Maria gets Joel’s irritation, but she wishes they would stop blowing up at each other in her house.

“Would you quit being such an old man about it for five fucking seconds?”

“I ain’t so old, I don’t remember trying to get out of doing my homework when I was in high school!”

“And how long ago was that exactly?”

“Thirty years,” Maria says off the top of her head to no one in particular. Knowing Sarah’s birthday makes it easy to figure out, but it raises the question.

“When is Joel’s birthday?” she asks Tommy after Joel and Ellie have left for the evening.

Glancing at the calendar, “Huh. I guess it’s coming up, ain’t it?”

“That doesn’t exactly answer my question, Tommy.”

“The twenty-sixth.”

Maria is caught off-guard by just how soon it is, surprised that neither Tommy nor Sarah have mentioned it. “I take it you’re not planning to do anything for it?”

Tommy shrugs, “He’s not exactly the biggest fan of birthdays.”

Her brow furrows, “I seem to recall a card arriving for Sarah’s every year.”

“Let me rephrase. He’s not a fan of _his_ birthday – never has been, especially not since the accident.”

Tommy must’ve told her Joel’s birthday coincided with the anniversary of the crash, but Maria doesn’t remember him ever mentioning a specific date. After such a traumatic experience, she understands why Joel wouldn’t be so keen on his birthday.

But he’s been turning over a new leaf, that ought to be acknowledged. They can help him form new associations with his birthday.

“He can’t object to a family dinner.”

“No, I suppose he wouldn’t,” Tommy nods.

“And we can get him something simple –”

Tommy snorts.

“What?”

“Joel’s next to impossible to get gifts for. He doesn’t exactly want anything he doesn’t already have or need. Even then, he usually just gets it himself.”

Maria wasn’t thinking anything extravagant. If there’s anything she agrees with Joel on it’s practicality. 

Ever since Tess took Ellie shopping, it’s become apparent Joel could use his own wardrobe too. Maria was already planning on getting him a new shirt or two for the holidays, even if he’s as unfastidious about observing Hanukkah as Tommy is, now she just has an excuse to do it sooner.

“Joel can’t keep wearing your old clothes forever – they’ll be threadbare before January.”

Tommy’s still skeptical about the whole thing, “If you want to be the one to remind him it’s his birthday, that’s on you, Maria.”

“How wonderful to have my husband’s love and support in this endeavor,” she rolls her eyes.

“I’m just warning you is all.”

“Your name’s still going on the tag,” she says, marching out of the kitchen.

Taking a moment to sink in, “Wait – what? Hang on a minute. Maria!”

\----------

Both Joel and Ellie are in a mood when they get home. Ellie storms right past Tess, slamming her door shut before Joel even gets in the house; Nike scratches at the floor to be let in her room.

Seeing the weary look in his eye, Tess reminds Joel, “Not my problem.”

He makes a low grumbling sound, which Tess makes outs as being, “Teenagers.”

“I warned you some of ‘em could be real hellions.”

“It’s not that. Well, it’s sort of that – do I seem old to you?”

The question takes Tess by surprise. “What the hell are you talking about?”

He groans again, “Ellie won’t quit harping on about it. But forty-nine is not _that_ old.”

A small ‘oh’ escapes Tess before she can catch it.

“Oh what?”

“Oh nothing.”

“It’s never nothing with you, Tess.”

Truthfully, she’d forgotten his birthday was coming up – what with the relocation, and the new legal job, and moving in together, and figuring out where she and Ellie stand. But she should’ve realized based on how irritable he’s been lately.

In the past, she tried to soothe his crossness, but she’s long since given up indulging his bad attitude about it and just let it be. Except things are different now – she can’t just go spend the night somewhere else because he’s decided he wants to be miserable.

Tess sighs, “Think of it this way, you’re now the ‘appropriate’ age to be someone’s dad. But it ain’t like you’re fifty yet.”

“Give it another year,” Joel snorts and collapses onto the couch next to her, his mood slipping away.

Reaching up, Tess fingers the greying hair around his temples. She ain’t exactly keen to admit to her forty-two years either, but age suits him.

Still, she’s not about to let his behavior off the hook. “Just enough time to plan you a surprise party.”

Joel sits bolts upright, the look of horror on his face – priceless. “You wouldn’t dare.”

“What and risk giving you a heart attack?” she smirks.

“Good,” Joel chuckles, settling back down.

“Rest assured, any birthday surprises I have for you all have to wait until the damn doctor clears you for strenuous activity.”

“Careful. You’re making me look forward to fifty,” he grins.

Maybe they’ve both been miserable for too long, but it’s embarrassing how easily his smile makes her melt. With any luck she won’t have to wait that much longer to strip him down to his birthday suit.

Joel stands up, “I’d better go check on Ellie now that she’s had some time to cool off. You sure you don’t want a piece of this parenting?”

Shaking her head, “That’s all you, Texas.”

\----------

With Maria hellbent on doing something for Joel’s birthday, Tommy turns to the one person who could possibly convince her otherwise. Except Sarah doesn’t exactly have his back on this.

“I think it would be nice for dad to stop associating his birthday with this –” she gestures at the leg brace.

“A few shirts ain’t gonna change that. You, of all people, should know how stubborn he is.”

“Course I do. He still won’t get rid that damn watch I got him.”

Tommy blinks. He’s pretty sure he paid for that particular gift; Sarah promised to pay him back, but even before the accident, he never intended to hold her to it.

Shaking his head, “You see my point then. A few gifts ain’t gonna make him forget, they’re just gonna make him grumpier for a while.”

“Then get him something that can’t possibly make him surly.”

“Easier said than done, Sarah. You know that.”

The only things Tommy’s ever seen make Joel genuinely happy are Sarah and Ellie; Tess too nowadays, he supposes. But again, he runs into the issue: he can’t get Joel what he already has.

“You haven’t happened to notice him complaining about anything else we could replace, have you?”

“What’s this ‘we’? Who says I’m gonna let you put your name on my gift to dad this year?”

“Consider it repayment for the watch.”

Whatever idea Sarah comes up with will inevitably be better than whatever Maria brings home from her shopping expedition.

Not that there’s anything wrong with new clothes, but clothes are safe – the sort of thing you get a person you don’t know very well. Which works as an excuse for Maria, but Joel’s his brother, Tommy should be able to come up with something more personal than that.

But then fifteen years of limited contact isn’t the best way to foster ideas for what to get him for his birthday.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. I sold hard drugs to get dad that watch.”

“Yeah? And who told you to tell him that?”

“You mean, I shouldn’t have started selling drugs to my students in order to pay for other people’s birthday gifts too?”

Tommy shakes his head, “You’ve got Joel’s sense of humor alright.”

“Relax, Uncle Tommy. I’ve actually already got an idea.”

“Sarah, you’re a life saver.”

He doubts Joel would mind one way or another, but they’ve all got time to make up for.

\----------

Ellie’s not mad at Joel, not really, just frustrated. Ever since school started, there are some days he just treats her so… normal – like they didn’t spend an entire year on the run together.

And it’s usually over such stupid, little things that she gets annoyed – like getting her homework done. She’s saved his life; shouldn’t he trust her to be capable of doing it in her own time?

It’s a bit of a relief actually when it’s Tommy and Sarah who come get her from school the next day; they get it. Though it’s unusual for them to come together.

“Am I in trouble?”

“Do we look like Joel?” Tommy jokes.

“There’s a resemblance,” Ellie responds dryly.

Sarah chuckles, “Course you’re not in trouble. We were hoping you could help us with something before dropping you at home.”

They let her vent on the way to wherever they’re going.

Glancing at her in the back, Sarah apologizes, “Sorry for setting his expectations so high.”

Tommy shrugs, “Don’t look at me. I wasn’t exactly a model student. I wouldn’t have gone to college, if ma hadn’t of insisted. Likely wouldn’t have finished, if Joel hadn’t kicked my ass. If it makes you feel any better, you really struck a nerve, calling his age out like that.”

“Didn’t mean to,” she sulks, slumping down in her seat. “But he always acts like he knows better than everyone else.”

“Hate to break it to you, but dads are like that,” Sarah consoles her.

“Older brothers too.”

Ellie groans. “Where are we going anyway?”

“Speaking of the devil, we thought you’d be able to help us pick out something for his birthday.”

They rarely go into Jackson proper, and even when they do, they still somehow manage to avoid the commercial side of town. Tommy stops outside some hole in the wall and they get out of the truck. Walking inside, Ellie stops in her tracks staring at the records all around her.

“Figured the two of you might like to stop sharing a guitar and play together,” Sarah explains.

Ellie nods, still open-mouthed. She hasn’t been to a music store since she and Riley last went to the mall.

“You know I don’t know the first thing about picking out a guitar, right?”

“That’s alright. Tommy and I just need you to test play them for us once we figure out what our budget is.”

Sarah and Tommy take their time talking the salesman, allowing Ellie to wander. Going down the aisles, it dawns on her this must be where Tommy got most of his CDs, something that is seriously lacking at the new house.

She flips through the albums, not expecting to find anything Joel won’t hate, when a familiar name catches her eye. She grins at the tracklisting.

Tommy comes up beside her, “What’s so funny?”

“This was the soundtrack of our drive from Lincoln to Pittsburgh.”

“Hank Williams?” He inspects the case. “Joel infected you with his taste in music, didn’t he?”

“Only sort of. I don’t totally hate your collection.”

Tommy rolls his eyes, “Come on. We’re in need of someone who knows how to play guitar.”

The salesman hands Ellie the first guitar and she strums a few chords, getting a feel for it before beginning the song she and Joel have been working on.

She hates how self-conscious having the salesman standing over her shoulder makes her. She hasn’t played for anyone except the family before and she can’t tell from his expressionless face if she’s doing it justice or not.

Stumbling over a bit of complicated fingering, Ellie mutter, “Fuck. Let me start over.”

“How about you try another one,” the salesman trades guitars with her. “This one might better suit your playing style.”

Taking a steadying breath, Ellie starts over.

She’s doing fine, ignoring the salesman this time until he leans over to Tommy and Sarah, “I thought you said she only started learning a few months ago.”

“She’s a natural, ain’t she?” Tommy winks at Ellie and her ears burn.

“Her instructor must be real proud.”

“He is,” Sarah nods.

Even though she’s approaching the difficult portion again, Ellie looks up at Sarah instead of her hands. Sarah doesn’t ever say things just because. She says them because they’re true.

Which means she isn’t a complete fuck up in Joel’s eyes. She supposes he’s trying to not fuck up either, even if it means acting like an overbearing prick every now and then.

\----------

Despite none of them knowing the first thing about what makes a good guitar, they all agree the one made of dark wood with a rich tone is the one for dad.

Ellie meanders the aisles some more while Sarah and Tommy settle up with the salesman. She returns to the counter with a stack of used CDs. “Joel won’t hate any of these, right?”

It’s incredible how spot on Ellie’s selection is. She even managed to grab a few Sarah’s sure dad’s never heard of, but would probably enjoy if he gave them a shot.

Sarah can’t help wondering, “You got the money to pay for these?”

Grimacing, “Enough for a couple.”

“You should ask Tommy to chip in. His arm’s twisted real easy.”

Predictably, Tommy gives in without much of a fight, though he shoots Sarah a sideways glance when he gets up to the register.

Sitting on their shared secret for another week is harder than Sarah anticipated. Especially since they agreed to leave the guitar in her care until the big day.

Sarah plucks at the strings, letting the hum resonate in her chest.

Andrew watches as she delicately handles the instrument, “Do you remember how to play anything?”

Lightly scoffing, “It’s not like riding a bike, you know. It takes practice. I can’t just pick it up and play ‘Chopsticks’ or something.”

“Worked for your dad.”

“That’s different.”

Sarah never put her whole heart into play the guitar the way dad did – does. Her only regret in putting the instrument down twenty-five years ago is that it caused dad to stop playing too.

Still, the draw to the guitar is strong; she might not mind trying to learn again. Just as long as dad keeps his expectations low.

“If you say so,” Andrew shrugs, “but I do agree with Joel on one thing.”

She can’t imagine what dad and Andrew have talked about when she wasn’t around. Knitting her brow, “About what?”

“That you don’t give your musical ability enough credit.”

“Excuse me? When have you ever heard me play before?”

“Not playing – singing. You’re always humming under your breath. While you do the dishes or grade papers, in the shower, all the time.”

She hadn’t realized she did that quite so much or loud enough for anyone to hear. Trying to laugh him off, “No one wants to hear that.”

“I do. It’s one of the perks of living together.”

Sarah flushes, “Then for select audiences only, I’ll sing. But don’t expect us to be the next big family band or anything.”

Andrew chuckles at her, but Sarah can’t wait to hear how dad and Ellie will sound together.

\----------

_All in all, not a bad birthday_, Joel admits to himself, taking up the new guitar.

While everyone else still converses around the dinner table, Joel moves his fingers up and down the fretboard, picking out a new tune, perfectly content to no longer be the center of attention.

He’s lost in the rise and fall of the music when he opens his eyes to find Sarah sitting next to him.

“Ellie and I took bets on how long before you abandoned dinner to play.”

“Who won?”

“Still undetermined.”

“I’m playing, aren’t I?”

“But you ain’t singing yet.”

Joel sighs, “You’ll be waiting a while then, baby girl.”

He used to think singers had an uncanny ability to express feelings through lyrics, but the years have taught Joel he’s not very handy with words. Better for him to keep his mouth shut and let the music do the talking.

Sarah tsks, “So much for being daddy’s little girl if I can’t predict what you’re gonna do.”

Snorting, “Well, Ellie’s had a lot to put up with in the past year.”

“She’s still putting up with your shit, dad. You could lighten up on her some.”

Joel stays quiet a moment, focusing on his finger movements. His hands aren’t quite as nimble as they used to be, the calluses on his fingertips haven’t quite formed back up yet, but they’re getting there.

“I suppose, my parenting’s still a bit rusty.”

“No kidding,” Sarah laughs. “You’ll get there.”

Joel puts down the guitar and opens his arms to her. Sarah curls up next to him as if nothing has changed since his twenty-eighth birthday.

Nodding at the guitar, “You like it, right?”

“You and Tommy picked a good one.”

“Try not to break it in a day. Okay?”

Chuckling, “I’ll try not to.”

Joel kisses Sarah’s head. Even cracked, his old watch still ticks along.


End file.
